When my Protestant friend tried to get me to skip my routine of daily Mass so that I could join her in the very popular scripture study at the non-denominational church in the next town, I have to admit, it was tempting. Nearly all of my friends participated in this group, and all I ever heard was how great the fellowship there was. They raved about the courses, the coffee, the child care, the joy, the way they felt so welcomed and loved…they were being fed! And who doesn’t want that? What mother searching for real connection and purpose in life, starving to be fed, wouldn’t say yes to that kind of invitation?

But I politely said, “No.”

That scripture study, as wonderful as I know it is, as inviting as it sounds, for me, would be like ordering Chinese food. I would choose my meal, and I would eat it up, and it would taste perfect and it would fill me until I couldn’t possibly eat anymore…and then an hour later, I would be hungry again.

This is why I choose what sustains. This is why I turned down the fun and the friends and the complimentary coffee. Because what I am offered at the Holy Mass has the power to fill me and satisfy me like nothing else of this world. It is so tempting to eat the food of this world that gives immediate pleasure, but I want more than that. I need more than that. This life is so complicated and beautiful and so incredibly painful and unpredictable, that I must choose to work for the food that promises to endure. Remember what happened to those who ate the manna? They died. But let’s remember what happens to those who eat the bread of life. They live forever.

Please, Lord Jesus, give us this bread always.

Ponder:

Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/08/02/daily-gospel-reflection-for-august-2-2015/feed/0The Death of God and the Loss of Human Dignityhttp://catholicmom.com/2015/07/31/the-death-of-god-and-the-loss-of-human-dignity/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/31/the-death-of-god-and-the-loss-of-human-dignity/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 15:00:51 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=89035I am sure by now that many of you have seen the appalling hidden-camera videos of two Planned Parenthood physicians bantering cheerfully with interlocutors posing as prospective buyers of the body parts of aborted infants. While they slurp wine in elegant restaurants, the good doctors—both women—blandly talk about what price they would expect for providing valuable inner organs, and how the skillful abortionists of Planned Parenthood know just how to murder babies so as not to damage the goods. One of the doctors specified that the abortion providers employ “less crunchy” methods when they know that the organs of a baby are going to be harvested for sale. Mind you, the “crunchiness” she’s talking about is a reference to the skull-crushing and dismemberment by knife and suction typically employed in abortions. For me, the most bone-chilling moment was when one of the kindly physicians, informed that the price she was asking was too low, leered and said, “Oh good, because I’d like a Lamborghini.”

Now it is easy enough to remark and lament the moral coarseness of these women, the particularly repulsive way that they combine violence and greed. But I would like to explore a deeper issue that these videos bring to light, namely, the forgetfulness of the dignity of the human being that is on ever clearer display in our Western culture. One has only to consider the over 58,000,000 abortions that have taken place, under full protection of the law, in our country since Roe v. Wade in 1973, or the ever more insistent push toward permitting euthanasia, even of children in some European countries, or the wanton killing going on nightly in the streets of our major cities. The figures in my home town of Chicago typically surpass those recorded in the battle grounds of the Middle East.

What makes this sort of startling violence against human beings possible, I would submit, is the attenuation of our sense of God’s existence. In the classical Western perspective, the dignity of the human person is a consequence and function of his or her status as a creature of God. Precisely because the human being is made in the image and likeness of the Creator and destined, finally, for eternal life on high with God, he is a subject of inalienable rights. I use Jefferson’s language from the Declaration of Independence on purpose here, for the great founding father knew that the absolute nature of the rights he was describing follows from their derivation from God: “they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…” When God is removed from the picture, human rights rather rapidly evanesce, which can be seen with clarity in both ancient times and modern. For Cicero, Aristotle, and Plato, a cultural elite enjoyed rights, privileges, and dignity, while the vast majority of people were legitimately relegated to inferior status, some even to the condition of slavery. In the totalitarianisms of the last century—marked in every case by an aggressive dismissal of God—untold millions of human beings were treated as little more than vermin.

I realize that many philosophers and social theorists have tried to ground a sense of human dignity in something other than God, but these attempts have all proven fruitless. For instance, if human worth is a function of a person’s intelligence or creativity or imagination, or her capacity to enter into friendship, then why not say that this worth disappears the moment those powers are underdeveloped, weakened, or eliminated altogether? Or if respect for human dignity is related to the strength of one’s feeling for another person, then who is to say that that dignity vanishes once one’s sentiments change or dry up? My suspicion is that if we interrogated people on the street and asked them why human beings should be respected, some version of this argument from sentimentality would emerge. But again, the problem is that feelings are so ephemeral, shifting and changing like the wind. If you doubt me, read some of the accounts of the officers and soldiers in the Nazi death camps, who, after years of killing, lost all feeling for those they were murdering, seeing them as little more than rats or insects.

For the past two hundred years, atheists have been loudly asserting that the dismissal of God will lead to human liberation. I would strenuously argue precisely the contrary. Once the human being is untethered from God, he becomes, in very short order, an object among objects, and hence susceptible to the grossest manipulation by the powerful and self-interested. In the measure that people still speak of the irreducible dignity of the individual, they are, whether they know it or not, standing upon Biblical foundations. When those foundations are shaken—as they increasingly are today—a culture of death will follow just as surely as night follows day. If there is no God, then human beings are dispensable—so why not trade the organs of infants for a nice Lamborghini?

Copyright 2015 Bishop-elect Robert Barron. Reprinted by permission from WordonFire.org.

About the author:

Bishop-elect Robert Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, the Rector of Mundelein Seminary, and the host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking, award winning documentary about the Catholic Faith. His pioneering work in evangelizing through the new media led Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, to describe him as “one of the Church’s best messengers.”

Maria Mitchell, the producer of Ascension Presents, says the Church has a great responsibility to reach young people through media. “My generation spends enormous amounts of time on our phones and tablets. It’s where we engage, it’s where we share, it’s where we learn, and like it or not it’s where we are formed,” Mitchell said.

Ascension Presents features video content that will bring entertaining, faith-filled, and dynamic Catholic presenters to social media feeds and email inboxes. Using high-end video production quality and significant, relevant topics, Mitchell hopes the videos will be an opportunity for young people to encounter the Gospel message throughout the week.

“Video content is so dominant right now. It’s the most alluring, it’s the easiest to consume and is a unique opportunity to present beauty, truth and goodness in truly powerful way,” Mitchell said.

Featuring four unique channels continually updated with new video content, Ascension Presents covers an endless variety of topics. Just this spring, upcoming segments will range from urban Catholic missions and West Coast fashion designers to exclusive interviews with Catholic rapper and teen evangelist Bob Lesnefsky and Cardinal Raymond Burke.

Father Mike Schmitz, nationally known speaker and Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth, hosts his own channel on Ascension Presents. His weekly commentary on news, pop culture and conversations about the joy and challenges of living the faith will especially resonate with young adults.

Saint John Paul II once said, “The question confronting the Church today is not any longer whether the man in the street can grasp a religious message, but how to employ the communications media so as to let him have the full impact of the Gospel message.”

“We hope Ascension Presents will do just that,” said Mitchell.

Ascension Presents is an extension of Ascension Press whose mission is to provide the Church with effective and engaging Catholic faith formation resources.

Find Your Inner Iggy, #FindIggy, is an online celebration for an energetic and eccentric Basque soldier from 500 years ago — Iñigo de Loyola; or “Iggy” as we affectionately call him. Sponsored by Loyola Press, #FindIggy brings the world together for a few weeks in July to acknowledge the personal, relevant and potent spiritual tools left to us by St. Ignatius. The fun began July 20, and runs through the feast day of St. Ignatius on July 31.

During this time, watch Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Vine as people share their personal experiences of finding God in all things, and finding their own “inner Iggy.” Everyone is encouraged to tag their contributions #FindIggy.

The best contributions of the day will be rewarded with gifts of knowledge, wisdom, even an Iggy Bobblehead.

While at FindYourInnerIggy.com, enjoy animated snippets from Iggy’s life, request free Iggy Tattoos, and build your own Iggy graphic for use on social media.

Copyright 2015 Loyola Press. All rights reserved.

Thanks to the worldwide online community, Iggy walks the way of St. Ignatius in our everyday community showing us how to be men and women for others, how to find God in all things, and how a 500-year old way of relating to God still works today.

See FindYourInnerIggy.com for more details.

All images copyright 2015 Loyola Press. All rights reserved.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/30/find-your-inner-iggy-2/feed/0Doubly Blessedhttp://catholicmom.com/2015/07/29/doubly-blessed/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/29/doubly-blessed/#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 19:00:05 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=88927Editor’s note: Today we welcome Kristi, who shares her story of adoption after infertility–and how God provided for her family in His own time, in the best way possible. –Barb

Photo courtesy of Kristi. All rights reserved.

Infertility is the worst nightmare of people who want to be parents.

When you’ve had a desire for a family for most of your life, the harsh reality of not being able to produce a child is just about the cruelest thing that can happen. Some people don’t want children; some don’t need to have children; some have children by accident and then wonder what happened. Others plan their lives carefully: they plan their weddings, they buy their first homes, they pick out names for their yet-to-be children and they wait. And nothing happens.

We were a part of that group. It’s horrible. Everyone else starts having babies and you just feel powerless. Some people choose fertility treatments; we did not. Being adopted myself, I grew up hearing how special it was to be adopted and that’s what I wanted. I couldn’t wait.

Then the reality of adoption in today’s world hit me in the face. How much did you say it costs? We have to be chosen by the birthmother? We have to maintain contact? We have to do how much paperwork and training courses? There’s no guarantee we will even get a baby? Again, more harsh realities. Other people get to call their parents and say, “We’re pregnant!” and have baby showers. We got to do paperwork.

When I was adopted in 1975, adoption was a much different affair. My parents had one home visit, waited for less than a year, and paid a whopping $175 to adopt me. It was only $150 for them to adopt my brother less than two years later, and about the same for my sister three years after that. There were no portfolios. No contact with birthparents. Very little information about biological families. They took us home, we became a family, and that was that.

Honestly, I never really thought about it until I was getting married and then wanted to know where I came from. I did a search and uncovered a mother who looked like my twin and six funny, rather young siblings. It was a whirlwind. I found out I had yet another sister who had been adopted; her name is Kirsten and mine is Kristen. I saw people who looked like me for the very first time in life, heard a genetic history I never knew existed, and began to grieve for what I had missed out on.

Still, I didn’t belong with them. I had been raised so differently, and the way I saw them being raised was nothing I would have wanted for myself. I was OK with it, but it was hard. And I began to realize that it’s nicer to know. It’s nicer to know from childhood who you look like and where you came from and that you were not rejected than it is to always wonder.

I began to understand the “why” behind open adoption.

When our older son was eight years old, after many years of trying to adopt again and having no success, I decided to contact Open Door Adoption. A friend had raved about them and I trusted her advice. We had a difficult experience with our son’s adoption and I just could not go through that again. I needed someone I could trust.

After my first conversation with the director of the agency, I thought, “This woman really seems to get adoption. She’s smart. She has all details ironed out, so there are no surprises later. And most importantly, she does more adoptions in a month than some agencies do in a year!”

We were ready. We did all the paperwork again and waited.

Finally, we were matched! But it was not to be. We went through the devastating experience of being connected with a birthmother for nearly two months and then having to return her child to her within 48 hours. It was a nightmare, because we realized she never intended to place that child for adoption and that she had been using us and the agency. The reality that precious child had to return to was horrific, and we uncovered the knowledge that the mother had been under investigation by Child Protective Services for years. We made phone call after phone call, with Jane’s support. Not long after, the birthmother ended up in jail and the child was placed in foster care, thank God. During this time, our case worker from Open Door was working around the clock, even going to meet with the judge, to try and help the child. Her dedication astounded us.

It was then that I realized that Open Door truly cared about the children they serve. As horrible as that experience was, it brought a high level of awareness to the failings of Georgia’s Department of Family and Child Services and hopefully saved some lives.

Going home after that ordeal was horrible. We had to move on and just wait. Those months are a blur, and I don’t like to recall them. Then something wonderful happened. We got another phone call from Open Door.

Twins! I couldn’t believe it. They were two weeks old, a boy and a girl. I remembered that I had been telling people for years that one day I felt we would get boy and girl twins. I had even bought blankets for them five years prior. I knew they were ours, and their birthday was two days before the birthday of the precious little girl we had to relinquish.

We got in the car to pick them up and within an hour received a call from our case worker that the birthparents had changed their minds. They just couldn’t do it. We had to turn around and go home again, and we were all in shock. Why was this happening to us?

I wasn’t angry this time, just dazed. I felt so sorry for that couple. How can someone give up twins? I couldn’t imagine. And I knew they weren’t in an unsafe environment like the previous baby and that someone truly loved them. I also knew that as difficult as it was, they would eventually come back to the same point and realize that it was too much to handle.

We went back home again, got back into our routine, and put the car seats in the nursery, closing the door.

“It’s not over yet,” I told my husband. “Just wait.”

Just a few days before, we had been at church—the church where we were married—praying that the birthparents would choose us. We saw my son’s kindergarten teacher, a very deeply spiritual woman, who told me, “When I saw you walk in tonight, God told me to ‘tell Kristi it’s not over yet.’”

I wasn’t sure what she meant at the time, but I remembered that. It was not over.

We went back to life, humiliated and devastated. We had lost three babies in a matter of weeks. I couldn’t stand the pity and shock we saw in people’s faces. We felt completely cursed and forgotten by God.

But it was not over.

About six weeks later, on a Thursday, my husband came home early and announced, “I’ve lost my job.”

I looked up to the sky, and said, “Really? Anything else you want to do to us?”

It was unreal. He had left his company of 20 years and taken a new job, only to be let go when they needed to cut costs.

So we had no income. No baby. And we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The real kicker was that it was my husband’s birthday weekend! We went out to celebrate with our friends, feeling that we had very little to celebrate.

Our caseworker sent me the kindest message. She told me that God was with us and it was no surprise to Him and that He loved me more than I could imagine. She reached out to me in a time of great personal pain, as she did for the birthmother she was counseling. Her kind heart shone through, and again I was impressed by the Open Door staff and their caring attitudes.

Photo courtesy of Kristi. All rights reserved.

That following Monday, we got another call. I nearly dropped the phone when I heard, “The birthparents have signed surrenders. Come pick up your twins!”

So, we packed up, went to get our son from school and told him we were going back to Georgia—for real, this time—to get his brother and sister. We were prepared to write a pretty big check, with no income, and bring home two babies—with no income!!

Photo courtesy of Kristi. All rights reserved.

And it worked out perfectly. It was perfect that my husband is such a good planner that we had a hefty emergency fund. It was perfect that he had four months home to help me, because I would have not been able to handle twins on my own right off the bat. It was perfect that he was called back to his previous company, who were thrilled to have him and gave him a slight raise.

God is good. God is faithful.

On the way to pick up our twins, the case worker texted me a picture. They were the cutest babies I had ever seen. He was frowning—his signature look—and she had an adorable, coquettish look on her face. They were snuggled up together, looking a little stunned, with expressions that said, “Well, when are you coming to get us?” I couldn’t make my car go fast enough.

We were given these babies on my husband’s birthday! It was if God was saying, “See? I told you it would all work out. Happy Birthday, to all of you.”

We pulled up to the home of the foster care family, the door opened, and there they were. The little girl looked just like me as a baby. I couldn’t believe it. We named her Sydney, and her brother is William.

They are so much like us. They are redheads, as are our niece and nephew. They are Irish in background; so is my husband and his family. Will has asthma like me and my older son; Sydney is allergic to amoxicillin like my husband and his entire family. They’re ours, just like I always knew they would be.

After we got them home, I received an email from Open Door’s director. I loved it. It said that we had been through the darkest of times and had persevered, and God had rewarded us immensely. “Isn’t that how He always does things?” she said. How very true. We have been doubly blessed.

I learned many things from these experiences, mainly that adoption is unpredictable because you are dealing with human hearts, and that Open Door is an agency that really does care. Not only that, but also that they are true professionals. Our first adoption experience with our older son was horrible, mainly due to the inept manner in which it was facilitated by that agency. I told myself that I never wanted to work with any other agency, and you know what? I never will.

And we’ve decide to go back for another one.

The paperwork is done, and we are back in Open Door’s active pool. People look at me when I tell them and ask, “Are you crazy?”

Well, maybe a little. You see, they remember the devastation we experienced when we had to hand that precious baby girl over to a mother who could not care for her other eight children, much less a helpless newborn. They remember the second phone call when we had to come home again without a baby. They remember seeing us absolutely exhausted during those first months (with one baby, you get little sleep but with two babies, you get NO sleep). They remember seeing me carrying a toddler on each hip while trying to get through a doorway and hand out crackers to avoid screaming meltdowns.

But I remember seeing those two little faces who needed a mother and realizing at that moment that should anyone ever try to harm them, well … it wouldn’t be pretty. And I know that it’s all worth it.

Adoption is not about me any more. It’s about giving a home to a child who needs love and stability and offering a helping hand to a woman in crisis. That really hit me when we came back from Georgia that first time and I realized I had a nice, comfortable home to return to, plenty of food, friends and family; that baby went home to a trailer being heated by an open stove and a drug-crazed grandmother. It was eye-opening.

Photo courtesy of Kristi. All rights reserved.

It’s worth it. Dear readers, it’s worth it. When you are enduring mounds of paperwork and the agonizing wait, remember there is an innocent little face on the other end who needs you desperately, and just keep on going.

God will reward you for your patience and perseverance. He always does.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/29/doubly-blessed/feed/0Kansas Nonprofit Adopts School in Haitihttp://catholicmom.com/2015/07/20/kansas-nonprofit-adopts-school-in-haiti/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/20/kansas-nonprofit-adopts-school-in-haiti/#commentsMon, 20 Jul 2015 18:00:33 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=88379Editor’s Note: Today we’re featuring a guest article from the Live Greater Foundation, which will partner with agencies across the USA to offer school supplies to schools in Port-Au-Prince. –Barb

Throughout the developing world, schools struggle to educate children, lacking even basic learning tools. Without paper, pens, and pencils, students lack the opportunities to practice their reading and writing. Families in critical poverty are unable to afford these tools for their students.

In partnership with Friar Suppliers, the Live Greater Foundation has chosen to adopt a school in the Port-Au-Prince region of Haiti. The organization will supply each student and classroom with basic supplies for the year.

Dick Montgomery, the organization’s founder and director, says this small act of support and love will offer children the opportunity to escape poverty in the long term, by supporting education.

States Montgomery: “We know that education is the single most powerful road out of poverty available to individual children in the developing world. It may not seem like a big project, but if we can make education in one school more effective by making sure that they have supplies, we will affect the lives of 750 children and their families.”

By partnering with local schools, churches, and youth groups in the United States, Live Greater will allow groups across the country to better understand issues in global education and engage in meaningful volunteerism.

“Haiti’s struggles are many and many nonprofits are on the ground there doing incredible things. We are a young organization and we don’t necessarily have the capacity to dive into long-term development projects. But we know we must do something to help individual children and their families. Mother Theresa encourages us to do small things with great love, and if we can make sure that each child has school supplies for the year in one school, we’ll know we’ve done that,” says Katie Halvat, the organization’s Director of Initiatives.

For more information on how your school, church, youth group or organization can partner with the Live Greater Foundation, email Katie Halvat.

Live Greater is a 501(c)(3) organization, committed to inviting ordinary people to live extraordinary lives through faith and service to others.

Copyright 2015 Live Greater Foundation.Photos courtesy of Live Greater Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/20/kansas-nonprofit-adopts-school-in-haiti/feed/0Tech Talk: New Website Bridges the Gap Between Catholicism and Social Networkshttp://catholicmom.com/2015/07/10/tech-talk-new-website-bridges-the-gap-between-catholicism-and-social-networks/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/10/tech-talk-new-website-bridges-the-gap-between-catholicism-and-social-networks/#commentsFri, 10 Jul 2015 11:00:37 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=87994Editor’s Note: Today we welcome the founders of Holy-Post.com, a new website that enables users to send Mass cards electronically to friends and loved ones. Find out more about this fascinating new use of technology and social media to aid prayer and evangelization! –Barb

Earlier this week, Pope Francis established a new Secretariat for Communications. The Pope wrote that the development of digital media, with its converging technologies and interactive capabilities, “requires a rethinking of the information system of the Holy See.” This message from Pope Francis calls for all Catholics on an individual basis to look for more effective means of communicating in today’s digital world.

Pope Francis has called for all Catholics to extend their faith, and the growing network of social media presents many opportunities for Catholics to spread this evangelism. A new site that is bridging the gap between Catholicism and social networks is www.Holy-Post.com. Holy-Post allows Catholics to send eMassCards for remembrances and celebrations via email, and provides a way to share the eMassCard on your friends’ or loved ones’ Facebook Timeline, greatly extending the reach of the message. “That’s exactly why we created www.Holy-Post.com. It’s a profound way to express your Catholic faith online or on any mobile device,” says Pat Rosenstiel, co-founder of Holy-Post. www.Holy-Post.com removes the need for a trip or call to the church office and allows you to send a personalized eMassCard in minutes. Holy-Post Mass intentions are currently being said at the beautiful National Shrine of Cross in the Woods parish in Indian River, Michigan.

Check out www.Holy-Post.com today and send an eMassCard to recognize, honor and remember those that have and continue to be influential in your life.

From Patrick Rosenstiel and Kimberly Bellissimo, the founders of Holy-Post: “We were reading Matthew Kelly’s Rediscovering Catholicism and were inspired by his definition of “holiness.” As defined by Kelly, it is the act of each member of the Catholic Church, using talents provided from God, advancing the interest and values of the Church on behalf of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Holy-Post.com is our effort to live a more holy life. We aim to leverage our collective talents to make the Church and expressions of faith more accessible to the laity and more appealing to younger Catholics. We hope it will attract a new generation to the promises of Jesus Christ and the Holy Catholic Church and to improve the quality of all of those who wish to live a more holy and Catholic life.”

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/10/tech-talk-new-website-bridges-the-gap-between-catholicism-and-social-networks/feed/1Meatless Friday: Parmesan Basil Quick Fishhttp://catholicmom.com/2015/07/03/meatless-friday-parmesan-basil-quick-fish/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/03/meatless-friday-parmesan-basil-quick-fish/#commentsFri, 03 Jul 2015 15:00:26 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=87319Editor’s Note: Allison Arend returns with a quick-to-prepare fish recipe that turned out to be a crowd-pleaser. Why not try it with your family this Meatless Friday? –Barb

I don’t think I’d ever heard “I could have licked the pan” about anything I’ve cooked for my family. I certainly didn’t expect to hear it about fish. This dish served six of us easily and only takes about 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish. I would strongly recommend not substituting the butter wih margarine. The butter really makes this recipe yummy.

Grease the bottom of the 9 x 13 dish with the 1 tablespoon of butter. Arrange the swai in a single layer in the dish. Sprinkle the fish liberally with lemon pepper seasoning. Preheat your oven broiler.

Mix the topping ingredients well and set aside.

Broil the fish for 8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove the fish from the oven and gently spread the parmesan basil topping over the fish.

Broil the fish for a couple more minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

Seek Him through talks, Mass, sharing, journaling, music, walking, reflecting, and spending time alone or with others.

As with all relationships we must seek to nurture our relationship with God.

Join us at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland

Saturday, October 10th & Sunday, October 11th 2015

Opening Mass celebrated by Archbishop William Lori, Archdiocese of Baltimore

Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Ficocelli

Catholic author/speaker/radio host, Elizabeth Ficocelli, takes us on a special three-part journey called “Discovering, Living, and Sharing Our Mission.” She begins by sharing her own journey from non-Catholic to Catholic evangelist, inspiring us to reflect on ways God has been working in our own lives from the time we were small. She’ll talk about the need to unburden ourselves from things that may be holding us back and holding us captive, therefore interfering with our ability to fully live our mission. Elizabeth will encourage us to move forward with new hope and confidence, to bring our unique mission to those around us.

Six Breakout Sessions, three hot meals, Adoration, social time and so much more!

There was a stretch of time in my life where I found myself confessing the same sin, over and over again. No matter how many times I was forgiven, I was not convinced it was true. In a sense, my sin had paralyzed me. One night my parish had a visiting priest come to give a talk on reconciliation, and afterwards, he offered confession. I told him this sin of mine. Not the original sin, but the sin of not believing I was forgiven. And at the end of our time together, nearly an hour, I looked out the church hall window and discovered it had begun to snow. Huge, white flakes were dancing in the sky and falling gently to the ground, and the priest smiled at me and said, “Now go! You are brand new, white as snow; it is your baptism day!”

I will never forget that moment. I will never forget my parish community that carried me, paralyzed, to confession. And I will never forget the grace I felt poured upon me; that amazing moment I felt that I was right there with Jesus, that I believed I was forgiven. No longer paralyzed, able to move forward, ready to share the good news.

Sin does that to us, you know. It keeps us right there, in the dark, on the stretcher. It tries so hard to convince us there is no moving forward, that we are not worthy of healing. But we can move forward, and we are never too ill to be cured. If you are too stuck to move yourself, I promise, there is someone out there who will pick you up and carry you. Do not lose faith. Take it from me, a hopeless sinner, who has been forgiven, who was blanketed in the whitest of snows, who picked up her stretcher and found her way home.

Ponder:

What sin in your life has paralyzed you, and isn’t it time you let it go?

Pray:

Jesus, my healer, thank you for your sacrifice. Each nail you took was for me; help me when I doubt the ocean of mercy you so lovingly pour into us. I want to move forward, Lord. I am tired of being stuck. Please give me the strength to come to you today, to confess what has me paralyzed, so that I can run out into this world and share the good news. I am ready to walk. Amen.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/02/daily-gospel-reflection-for-july-2-2015/feed/0Dynamic Catholic Launches Rediscover Jesus: Follow-up to Matthew Kelly's Rediscover Catholicismhttp://catholicmom.com/2015/07/01/dynamic-catholic-launches-rediscover-jesus-follow-up-to-matthew-kellys-rediscover-catholicism/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/01/dynamic-catholic-launches-rediscover-jesus-follow-up-to-matthew-kellys-rediscover-catholicism/#commentsWed, 01 Jul 2015 12:00:52 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=87299Editor’s Note: We’re excited to share the news of Matthew Kelly’s newest book, Rediscover Jesus, which invites readers to a new beginning in their relationship with Jesus. It’s available for preorder now and will be delivered in August. –Barb

The Dynamic Catholic Institute is excited to announce the hardcover release of Matthew Kelly’s newest book Rediscover Jesus. The book, which inspires readers to encounter Jesus in an entirely new way, is the sequel to Kelly’s 2010 Rediscover Catholicism, which has sold seven million copies.

“If there is one person we should each get to know in a deeply personal way, it is Jesus,” said Kelly, Dynamic Catholic’s founder and New York Times best-selling author. “We are constantly grappling with life’s toughest questions: Who am I? What am I here for? What matters most? What matters least? Jesus is the amazing friend who is going to help us answer those questions,” he added.

“We never imagined these programs and [Matthew’s] books would have such an impact,” said Mark Moore, Dynamic Catholic’s Director of Ministry. “We already have people signed up for Best Lent Ever 2016! Rediscover Jesus, which can be read as a 40-day spiritual journey, is a perfect way to integrate the habit of daily prayer during the 40 days of Lent, and beyond,” he added.

Another game-changing Dynamic Catholic program is the Parish Book Program, which the organization began in December of 2007 by giving away fifty thousand copies of Rediscover Catholicism to fifteen parishes. This Christmas, Dynamic Catholic will offer Rediscover Jesus as one of the program’s featured titles. Since its inception, the program has served more than 4,000 parishes in the United States, distributed millions of books and CDs, and brought more people back to the Catholic Church than any other program in America.

“Books change our lives,” said Kelly. “Most people don’t know how to have a great relationship with Jesus; they’ve never encountered him. [Rediscover Jesus] will change that,” he added.

You can pre-order a copy of Rediscover Jesus on either Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. Readers who pre-order the book by August 16, 2015, have the opportunity to enter to win one of several prizes, including an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy with Kelly and those going on the Dynamic Catholic Pilgrimage to Rome this November. Anyone who pre-orders the book will have access to an exclusive webinar with Kelly, during which he will talk about his writing process, why he decided to write Rediscover Jesus, and why he thinks this is the most important book he has ever written.

Dynamic Catholic is dedicated to re-energizing the Catholic Church in America by developing world-class resources that inspire people to rediscover the genius of Catholicism. The non-profit organization is passionate about helping Catholics and their parishes become the-best-version-of-themselves®.

Copyright 2015 Dynamic Catholic.

Support the work we do at CatholicMom.com by purchasing Rediscover Jesus through our affiliate link! You pay nothing extra!

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/07/01/dynamic-catholic-launches-rediscover-jesus-follow-up-to-matthew-kellys-rediscover-catholicism/feed/0A Special New School for Special Studentshttp://catholicmom.com/2015/06/30/a-special-new-school-for-special-students/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/30/a-special-new-school-for-special-students/#commentsTue, 30 Jun 2015 22:00:59 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=87138Editor’s Note: Veritas Christi Catholic High School is a cyberschool dedicated to providing special-needs high-school students a high-quality education in all academic subjects, including theology. –Barb

Are you the parent of a teenager with special needs who’s always dreamed of being able to provide your child with a Catholic high school education? Now you can, without worrying about what your child is going to encounter from the moment he leaves the house in the morning until he returns home in the afternoon.

Veritas Christi, the nation’s first Catholic online high school for students with special needs, and the Jesuit Virtual Learning Academy, have teamed up to provide Catholic teenagers everywhere with special needs online access to the same theology courses taught at dozens of Catholic high schools across the country.

“While we continue to seek funds to open our brick and mortar school here in Ann Arbor, we are providing kids everywhere who struggle with special needs, and for whom a classroom setting is just not feasible, the same chance every other child has to earn a diploma from a Catholic high school,” said Richard Nye, a co-founder and president of the board of directors for Veritas Christi. “With Catholic high schools closing everyday across America, we’re happy to announce the opening of a unique Catholic high school for a special group of vulnerable kids.”

“This is a first in the field of Catholic special education online,” said Father Don Vettese, SJ, a Jesuit priest and a member of the Veritas Christi board of directors. “Veritas Christi joins an impressive list of Catholic high schools nationwide already using JVLA’s excellent curriculum. But Veritas Christi is the first and only Catholic high school to make it available online to kids everywhere with special needs.

“On behalf of these special kids, I’m appealing to wealthy Catholics everywhere who may be looking for something good and wonderful and truly unique in which to invest your funds, to call me or Richard Nye about making a contribution to help us open our brick and mortar version of Veritas Christi Catholic High School. You can reach me at 734-222-0701,” Father Don added.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/30/a-special-new-school-for-special-students/feed/05 Ways Divorced Moms Can Prepare their Hearts for New Lovehttp://catholicmom.com/2015/06/29/5-ways-divorced-moms-can-prepare-their-hearts-for-new-love/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/29/5-ways-divorced-moms-can-prepare-their-hearts-for-new-love/#commentsMon, 29 Jun 2015 22:00:22 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=87130Editor’s Note: We warmly welcome this article by Lisa Duffy, author of The Catholic Guide to Dating After Divorce. Here she shares some wisdom from this new book. –Barb

“I may be divorced, but I still believe in marriage. I want to find someone to spend my life with, but I have to find myself again, first.” These are words from a very wise woman. Her divorce had been quite difficult for her and her children, especially since she had married for life. Many Catholic moms today find themselves in this exact position and hope to remarry again. But is jumping back into the dating scene the right thing to do? No one wants to go through another divorce, so how do you know where to begin?

If you are asking this same question, I’d like to offer you some ideas and encouragement because I believe, despite your divorce, you still have great things awaiting you in your future.

Aside from the obvious starting point – going through the annulment process and hopefully receiving a decree of nullity – there are some definitive steps you can take to not only prepare for a new relationship, but elevate your level of attractiveness.

Remember Your Divorce Does Not Define You

People who go through a divorce talk about the “Scarlet ‘D'”, that terrible feeling of scandal that a marital breakup seems to bring. But it’s important to remember one simple thing: Divorce is something that happened to you, it is not who you are.

There is no possible way one word, especially “divorce” can encapsulate who you are as a person, nor does it invalidate your role as an important family member, friend or member of society. It does not erase all the good qualities you possess or all the good things you’ve done. It doesn’t negate your potential for living the rest of your life. Believing this is critical if you hope to have a successful relationship in the future

Find Your Self-Worth In Christ

There may be others around you who judge you because of your divorce, but your personal value cannot be measured by what other people think of you. What really matters is where you stand with God and being in His good graces is all you need. God has given you many gifts and talents that, despite your divorce, He wants you to use for his glory and your happiness. Don’t let the criticism of others stand in your way.

Be Attractive From The Inside Out

Let’s face it, ladies, we spend a lot of time and money trying to look good. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but if we’re not attractive on the inside, the rest doesn’t matter much. What I’m referring to is the state of your heart… are you harboring anger and resentment toward your ex-spouse? Do you allow high stress levels to dictate the way you respond to others? Do you blame others for everything? Forgiveness, acceptance and detachment are all important virtues to work on if you struggle with these areas.

Give Yourself A Break

You might be great at being all things to all people, but if you’re a single mom, you need a break, too. Are you carrying the world on your shoulders? It may be time to find a good friend who would be willing to give you a break once a week to go to the salon, the gym, the adoration chapel, Starbucks, or wherever your “happy place” is.

Stay Close To The Sacraments

Saving the best for last, of course, because frankly, there is no better way to experience peace than in receiving the sacraments. They contain all the graces, consolation and strength you need for repairing your life and sustaining you as you move forward. Never underestimate the power of going to confession and receiving the Eucharist.

About the author: Lisa Duffy is a Catholic author, speaker and blogger for the CatholicMatch Institute. A Southern California native, she overcame a painful divorce and annulment, remarried in the Church, and turned to helping other divorced Catholics find hope and healing. She has more than twenty years of experience ministering to those who have been wounded by divorce.

Duffy wrote and directed the popular divorce support program, Journey of Hope, which later became the book Divorced. Catholic. Now What? She also directed and produced the powerful Voices of Hope DVD. Duffy has contributed to several books and appeared on Relevant Radio, Ave Maria Radio, EWTN TV and radio, Salt and Light TV, and various podcasts. She regularly speaks at conferences for divorced and single Catholics.

She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, James, and their three children.

My parents were not big party throwers. As in, once. My First Communion. I was so excited to have a party — little did I know that it would be the first and last. 😉 My kids are used to parties, but we have scaled back a lot in the 7.5 years since having our first.

BUT. We pull out all the stops for the sacraments. This isn’t grandparents & cupcakes in the park. Sacraments are a big deal to us and so we celebrate them accordingly. While this particular article is to help the (exhausted, sleep deprived) mom plan a baptism party, I’m sure it would work well for First Communion and Confirmation as well. If you are a first time mother, I wrote about planning for the sacrament of baptism itself last year.

Place

Depending on how big a deal you want to make of it (we make a pretty big deal), you will want to throw a party. The first thing you will need is a location. Since you already have a guest list (see the link above for last year’s post), it will be easy to see if you can accommodate everyone in your home, or a friend’s home, or even the church social hall perhaps.

Deciding where you will have it, even when you don’t know the date, is helpful. If you are going to use a church hall or other location, call ahead to find out how to reserve the date, put a deposit, etc.

Time

The best time to throw the party is right after the event or shortly thereafter. If you need some help, perhaps you might hire someone or ask a neighbor to start preparations while you are at the baptism. Leaving a gap between the Baptism and the time it takes to drive to the location can be hard on a guest. What can you really do for 30-60 minutes between events? Not much. Have some chips and dip and drinks available in the living room while you get the rest of lunch set out.

Talk to the church secretary to find out when Father likes to do baptisms. In my old church, you could pick any Mass, really. I think my church does them monthly, all at once. Once you know when the baptism will take place, you can pick a time. Or just say something like “immediately following.”

Invitations

Invitations can be as elaborate as a printed, engraved invitation rivaling a wedding invitation (I have used clearance print-your-own wedding invites in the past), a web-based service like evite.com, or even just a phone call or text. Be sure to include the date, time, and location of both the baptism itself and the party afterward.

If you are going to print and mail invitations yourself (but I suggest having them printed and mailed by a company to save time, if you have enough time), do yourself a favor, address the envelopes before the baby comes. Or set up your email list, or facebook message, or whatever. Do as much as you can, before you get into a time crunch.

Menu

There are many ways to plan a party like this. You could cook your own, have it catered, or you could even have a potluck if your friends and family are accustomed to that. For my children, I made the food myself both times. The first time was a brunch and that was a little hard because people were complaining about the time it took to warm all my pre-prepared food up.

The second time, I did a pasta bar with 3 kinds of sauces in crockpots, salads and garlic bread. That went much better. The last time, I made trays of sandwiches the night before and had fruit & veggie trays, and salads. I’ve found that the quick items that can be prepped ahead work best. The pasta bar and sandwiches both worked pretty well.

Having a caterer or knowing that you can buy party packages from a favorite restaurant or take-out place will help ease the mad dash, too. Call ahead and know what you want. Plug in headcount and date and you are ready to order. If you are having close family, only, you could reserve a side room at a restaurant. Just be sure to call ahead for details and have a backup plan in case your date/time is taken.

Decorations

Since we do our Baptisms so close to the baby’s birth, I’m not typically in full party throwing mode. I usually have a tablecloth, some helium balloons, confetti on the cake/gift table and call it a day. I do have a theme, if you will, of gold and white since those are the traditional colors symbolizing the sacrament. If you would like to be more elaborate, check out Pinterest for some great baptism eye candy.

Purchase or make your decorations ahead of time. Your hubs can take the littles to buy balloons the day before while you rest and nurse. And if you have all the supplies, your 5 or 6 year old (or older) can put down a tablecloth, sprinkle confetti, and open plates, cups, & silverware. This is not the time for perfection and the kids are usually excited to help with parties!

Extras

Party Favors

Favors are not necessary but I do like to have a little memento of occasions like this. For all of my children, I have made personalized prayer cards with all the details of the day on them. You can buy the prayer cards from The Catholic Company by the sheet or preprinted with your particulars.

Gifts for the Godparents

I don’t think it’s required to give gifts to Godparents, but I like to. It’s one of my love languages. If it’s a couple, I usually just give one gift.

Keepsakes

The number of baptism keepsakes available just staggers the mind. We typically ignore many of them, but I do purchase a personalized onesie for each of them with their name and the baptism date for them to wear under the christening gown and after the ceremony. If you search for baptism or christening items, you will find several stores with every type of keepsake imaginable.

Keep in Mind

One thing to remember is that you are still recovering from the birth and so some of these things may not be possible. Let go and let God. Preparing & purchasing before the baby’s birth helps, as does accepting help from others.

For my last baby’s baptism, all the women in attendance were in the kitchen prepping veggies, setting out bowls and platters and having a grand time. It really was the most blessed party in my home. For everything else, let it go. After all, the baby won’t even remember and you can always look forward to the next big sacrament!

Do you throw a big baptism party or do you fly under the radar? What are your favorite family baptism traditions?

In 1986, after serving in a variety of capacities in the Jesuit province of Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio commenced doctoral studies in Germany. The focus of his research was the great twentieth century theologian and cultural critic Romano Guardini, who had been a key influence on, among many others, Karl Rahner, Henri de Lubac, and Joseph Ratzinger. As things turned out, Bergoglio never finished his doctoral degree (he probably started too late in life), but his immersion in the writings of Guardini decisively shaped his thinking. Most of the commentary on Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si‘ has focused on the issue of global warming and the Pope’s alignment with this or that political perspective, but this is to miss the forest for one very particular tree. As I read through the document, I saw, on practically every page, the influence of Romano Guardini and his distinctive take on modernity.

To get a handle on Guardini’s worldview, one should start with a series of essays that he wrote in the 1920’s, gathered into book form as Letters from Lake Como. Like many Germans (despite his very Italian name, Guardini was culturally German), he loved to vacation in Italy, and he took particular delight in the lake region around Milan. He was enchanted, of course, by the physical beauty of the area, but what intrigued him above all was the manner in which human beings, through their architecture and craftsmanship, interacted non-invasively and respectfully with nature. When he first came to the region, he noticed, for example, how the homes along Lake Como imitated the lines and rhythms of the landscape and how the boats that plied the lake did so in response to the swelling and falling of the waves. But by the 1920’s, he had begun to notice a change. The homes being built were not only larger, but more “aggressive,” indifferent to the surrounding environment, no longer accommodating themselves to the natural setting. And the motor-driven boats on the lake were no longer moving in rhythm with the waves, but rather cutting through them indifferently.

In these unhappy changes, Guardini noted the emergence of a distinctively modern sensibility. He meant that the attitudes first articulated by Francis Bacon in the sixteenth century and René Descartes in the seventeenth were coming to dominate the mentality of twentieth-century men and women. Consciously departing from Aristotle, who had said that knowledge is a modality of contemplation, Bacon opined that knowledge is power, more precisely power to control the natural environment. This is why he infamously insisted that the scientist’s task is to put nature “on the rack” so that she might give up her secrets. Just a few decades later, Descartes told the intellectuals of Europe to stop fussing over theological matters and philosophical abstractions and to get about the business of “mastering” nature. To be sure, this shift in consciousness gave rise to the modern sciences and their attendant technologies, but it also, Guardini worried, led to a deep alienation between humanity and nature. The typically modern subject became aggressive and self-absorbed, and the natural world simply something for him to manipulate for his own purposes.

If you want to see an English version of Guardini’s perspective, I would recommend a careful reading of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their Inklings colleagues on the relation between capitalist, technocratic humanity and an increasingly aggressed nature. If you want vivid images for this, turn to the pages in The Lord of the Rings dealing with the battle between Saruman and the Ents or to the section of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe detailing the permanent winter into which Narnia had fallen.

It is only against this Guardinian background that we can properly read the Pope’s latest encyclical. Whatever his views on global warming, they are situated within the far greater context of a theology of nature that stands athwart the typically modern point of view. That the earth has become “piled with filth,” that pollution adversely affects the health of millions of the poor, that we live in a “throwaway” culture, that the unborn are treated with indifference, that huge populations have little access to clean drinking water, that thousands of animal species are permitted to fall into extinction, and yes even that we live in housing that bears no organic relation to the natural environment – all of it flows from the alienated Cartesian subject going about his work of mastering nature. In the spirit of the author of the book of Genesis, the Biblical prophets, Irenaeus, Thomas Aquinas, Francis of Assisi – indeed of any great pre-modern figure – Pope Francis wants to recover a properly cosmological sensibility, whereby the human being and her projects are in vibrant, integrated relation with the world that surrounds her.

What strikes the Pope as self-evident is that the nature we have attempted to dominate, for the past several centuries, has now turned on us, like Frankenstein’s monster. As he put it in a recent press conference, “God always forgives; human beings sometimes forgive; but when nature is mistreated, she never forgives.” These lessons, which he learned many years ago from Romano Guardini, are still worthy of careful attention today.

About the author: Fr. Robert Barron is the Rector of Mundelein Seminary and the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/24/laudato-si-and-romano-guardini/feed/0Three new books added to popular Children’s Book Series from Ignatius Press and Magnificathttp://catholicmom.com/2015/06/24/three-new-books-added-to-popular-childrens-book-series-from-ignatius-press-and-magnificat/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/24/three-new-books-added-to-popular-childrens-book-series-from-ignatius-press-and-magnificat/#commentsWed, 24 Jun 2015 17:30:05 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=86885

Several years ago, Ignatius Press and Magnificat joined forces to launch a new line of beautifully illustrated, high quality, Catholic children’s books. These charming books have captured the imagination of children of various ages through delightful full-color illustrations, exciting stories from the Bible and lives of the saints, and simple yet powerful prayers. Due to the popularity if these books, three beautiful new titles have been added to the collection and are now available for purchase: Let’s Pray the Rosary, A Missal for Little Ones, and Catholic Saints for Children.

Since the Middle Ages, Christians have been praying the Rosary to grow close to Jesus and his Blessed Mother. In this colorfully illustrated book,Let’s Pray the Rosary, children ages 6 and up can learn the fascinating history of the Rosary and discover that this devotion has worked miracles and spread faith in every corner of the world.

The book explains how to pray the Rosary and tells the Biblical scenes of the mysteries in the Rosary, also providing the prayers that children and their families need to start praying the Rosary today. Lovely, four-color illustrations are featured on every page – this makes the perfect gift book for all occasions.

This simple missal, A Missal for Little Ones, allows a young child to follow the prayers and actions of the holy Mass step by step. The prayers and colorful illustrations show a boy and a girl at Mass, what they say and what they do, as well as the words and actions of the priest.

The mystery of Jesus, who died on the cross, rose from the dead, and opened the way to Heaven for us, is the essence of the holy Mass, which a child can enter into little by little with the help of this charming book. All the prayers children need for the holy Mass are included along with the colorful illustrations, which parents will find helpful in teaching children ages 3 and up about the beauty of the holy Mass.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/24/three-new-books-added-to-popular-childrens-book-series-from-ignatius-press-and-magnificat/feed/1Meatless Friday: Shrimp Enchiladashttp://catholicmom.com/2015/06/19/meatless-friday-shrimp-enchiladas/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/19/meatless-friday-shrimp-enchiladas/#commentsFri, 19 Jun 2015 15:00:46 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=86589Editor’s Note: Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce a dear friend and great cook, Allison Arend. Ali is the friend I call when I need help in the kitchen and not only does she offer help via text and phone, she also saves her laughing at me until we hang up (though I suspect maybe she doesn’t laugh!). She’s agreed to share some meatless recipes with us here, and we’re so very grateful for that. And if any of you want to try this and bring some over, you just let me know. -Sarah

These shrimp enchiladas have a mild rice filling. You can turn up the heat if you want by adding jalepenos in the cream sauce.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, toss shrimp with one tablespoon of olive oil and lightly salt and pepper. Spread shrimp on baking sheet so none are touching and roast until cooked through, about 6 -8 minutes.

Heat second tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is slightly translucent. Remove from heat and add canned chiles, oregano and cayenne pepper. Mix and then add rice and mix again gently to combine. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and broth. Then, in large saucepan, heat butter and sauté garlic for a minute or two. Add broth mixture and mix in sour cream. Heat on medium heat until sauce has thickened. When thickened, remove from heat and add cayenne (or jalapeño) and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put enchiladas together by placing about a ¼ cup of rice mixture on a tortilla. Place three to four shrimp on top of rice and then sprinkle with a ¼ cup of cheese. Roll tortilla and place in baking dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Note: Corn tortillas can be hard to roll. You can heat them up a little to make them more pliable, but I just fold them and let them tear.

If you have left over rice mixture, just place it in the dish around filled tortillas.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/19/meatless-friday-shrimp-enchiladas/feed/1Scott Hahn’s St. Paul Center announces new publishing arm, names Lighthouse Catholic Media new distributorhttp://catholicmom.com/2015/06/18/scott-hahns-st-paul-center-announces-new-publishing-arm-names-lighthouse-catholic-media-new-distributor/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/18/scott-hahns-st-paul-center-announces-new-publishing-arm-names-lighthouse-catholic-media-new-distributor/#commentsThu, 18 Jun 2015 23:30:24 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=86556Editor’s note: We’re excited to share the news of a merger of two organizations that help bring Catholic scripture study and other learning tools to the faithful–and they’re celebrating by offering free and discounted books! –Barb

Two dynamic Catholic organizations have announced that they are merging and will strengthen their missions to produce exceptional resources, while at the same time partnering with a new distributor to maximize their outreach.

Emmaus Road Publishing has joined the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology to become the publishing arm of the educational institute dedicated to promoting life-transforming Scripture Study in the Catholic tradition. Additionally, the two are partnering with Lighthouse Catholic Media in an effort to reach a wider audience.

To mark this exciting event, EmmausRoad.org is offering a free Scott Hahn book, free shipping on one order, and up to 50% off all books while supplies last.

“We have set ambitious goals for the near future,” says St. Paul Center founder Dr. Scott Hahn. At the same time, he assures, Emmaus Road will continue to “bring you books you need from authors whose words you trust.”

The St. Paul Center, established almost twenty years ago by Dr. Scott Hahn, develops research and study tools that facilitate a transformative encounter with the living Word of God. Its mission is to help Catholics read the Bible from the heart of the Church. The St. Paul Center does this through inspiring conferences and seminars, the informative and engaging Journey Through Scripture Bible studies, and other online media, radio, and television resources.

Hahn explains, “Our mission owes a lot to the last chapter of Saint Luke’s Gospel, the story of Jesus and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Everything we do at the St. Paul Center is boiled down in that one scene.”

Drawing its name from the same passage, Emmaus Road Publishing, founded in 1998, has been a longtime collaborator with the St. Paul Center, publishing its annual Letter & Spirit journal. For more than fifteen years, Emmaus Road has also published award-winning, authentically Catholic books by authors such as Ted Sri, Ralph Martin, Mike Aquilina, and Emily Stimpson.

]]>http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/18/scott-hahns-st-paul-center-announces-new-publishing-arm-names-lighthouse-catholic-media-new-distributor/feed/0Laudato Si'--Praised Be: An Encyclical Filled with Lyric Love, Confession and Calls to Action to Save our Common Home, the Poor, and Our Joyhttp://catholicmom.com/2015/06/18/laudato-si-praised-be-an-encyclical-filled-with-lyric-love-confession-and-calls-to-action-to-save-our-common-home-the-poor-and-our-joy/
http://catholicmom.com/2015/06/18/laudato-si-praised-be-an-encyclical-filled-with-lyric-love-confession-and-calls-to-action-to-save-our-common-home-the-poor-and-our-joy/#commentsThu, 18 Jun 2015 16:00:20 +0000http://catholicmom.com/?p=86643Editor’s Note: Marybeth Lorbiecki returns with a reflection on Pope Francis’ newly-released encyclical. You may read the encyclical in its entirety at the Vatican website. –Barb

“Laudato Si, mi Signore” – “Praise to you, my Lord.” In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace. “Praise to you, my Lord, though our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.
The sister now cries out to use because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our responsible use and abuse of the good with which God has endowed her….

Thus begins Pope Francis’ encyclical, just over a hundred pages long, but one sure to cause a firestorm of reaction because its talk about climate change – not in a political context but in one of love and faith. And it calls all Catholics, Christians, and fellow humans of all faiths, or none, to immediate and resolute actions on fossil fuel and other pollution that harm God’s earth and hits the poor the hardest.

But it’s not a dour document, though its truths about what we have done to our common home and each other are searing – and needed, and cleansing in their honesty. The guidance offered has the power to unite us and get us on the right track in so many ways. Like St. John Paul II, Pope Francis calls for a “conversion” of hearts and an inversion of our values to value as God values, to care as God cares.

What struck me most was the lyrical passages from the Scripture and saints woven through like glittering strands of love and hope. These are worth praying over again and again – to give us the hope and energy to act. In the Gospel of Creation section, we are offered a kind of a dash through the Bible with a view of care of God’s creation. Consider these passages:

Creation is the order of love. God’s love is the fundamental moving force in all things. ‘For you love all things that exist, and you detest none of the things that you have made; for you would have not made it if you hated it.’ (Wis. 11:24). Every creature is thus an object of the Father’s tenderness, who has made a place for it.

In talking with his disciples, Jesus would invite them to recognize the paternal relationship God has with all his creatures. With moving tenderness he would remind them that each one of them is important in God’s eyes. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. (Luke 12:6) Look at the birds of the air; they neither we sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet my Father feeds them. (Mt. 6:26).

Jesus lived in full harmony with creation, and others were amazed. “What sort of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Mt *:27)…. Jesus worked with his hands, with which he gave form by his craftsmanship.

This is our example, along with that of St. Francis and so many other saints. And this is our time, our chance, our moment to re-awaken as God’s people, alive at a deeper level and ready to take on the world, so to speak, to take on the world of love and restoration. So take the time to read and pray over this encyclical yourself, and look at ways you yourself can cut rethink your attitudes and rework your habits and decisions, and those of your congregation, community, region, and nation. Find creative ways to make it your own and to pass it on to others.

Change is so much easier and more joyful when we do it together – and it won’t be easy, there will be change and sacrifice for all. We will have to slow down to think and respond, and not seek out the ways of “convenience” as the highest value. But the reward will be there, for ourselves, for those who have less than we do and are struggling, for our brother and sister species, and for our children, and grandchildren and all to come. There is so much of spiritual depth and breadth to ponder, pray, discuss, and practical counsel to put into action. The encyclical explains the realities pollution, water scarcity, decreasing biodiversity, the suffering of the poor, loss of human dignity and value, consumerism, and over dependence on technology, and so much more.

Pope Francis reminds us that “The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home.”

He quotes the Earth Charter: “As never before in history, our common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning… Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.”

He ends with asking us all to look to Christ, and to Mary, our Mother, and Holy St. Joseph who always has been the strong protector. The encyclical ends with two beautiful prayers, one of which is a specifically Christian prayer and one which can be prayed together with all humanity, a prayer for our earth.

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
And in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
That we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
As brothers and sisters, harming no one.
Oh God of the poor,
Help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth
So precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
That we may protect the world and not prey on it,
That we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
Of those who look only for gain
At the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
To be filled with awe and contemplation.
To recognize that we are profoundly united
With every creature
As we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
For justice, love and peace.

So give yourself the gift of reading the encyclical for yourself; go to the Vatican website www.vatican.va, and read it with your heart. How is God calling you?

As St. John Paul II said to youth in 1995:

Life is a talent entrusted to us
So that we can transform it and increase it,
Making it a gift to others.
No person is an iceberg
Drifting on the ocean of history.
Each one of us belongs to a great family,
In which he [she]has his [her]own role to play.
Selfishness makes people deaf and dumb;
Love opens eyes and ears, enabling people
To make that original and irreplaceable contribution which
together with the thousands of so many brothers and sisters,
often distant and unknown—
converges to form the mosaic of charity
that can change the tide of history.

About the author: Marybeth Lorbiecki, M.A. is the director of Interfaith Oceans, an ethics campaign bridging faith & science, restoring oceans & communities(www.oceanethicscampaign.org). She is also the author of Following St. Francis: John Paul II’s Call for Ecological Action (Rizzoli Ex Libris, 2104), Sister Anne’s Hands, and Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire (to be re-released by Oxford in fall 2015). She’s a graduate of St. Catherine University.

“Cheers to Sarah Vabulas, the saintly genius behind the fabulous “Catholic Drinkie” apostolate, for penning a book which reminds us that faith, life a great beer, is meant to be savored and shared. Packed full of history, spirituality, and–yes!–homebrew pointers too, The Catholic Drinkie’s Guide to Home-brewed Evangelism calls us each to embrace our own unique role in the New Evangelization. Buy two! This book, like your favorite brew, is too great to keep to yourself!”

Check out the book and Sarah’s fantastic blog, follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook, and be sure to share this one! Your friends will thank you, and maybe also treat you to some homebrew! Lisa Hendey

Monk Inspiration

For a quart of Ale is a dish for a King. William Shakespeare, A Winter’s Tale

What a history of beer and wine we have in the Catholic Church. The traditions have been around for hundreds of years. How are we to ever live up to them? Some of the best beers in the world are made by monks, so let’s carry on their traditions in the best way I know how: pray and work.

Sarah Vabulas

I love that the monks live their Benedictine spirituality by doing their work in the breweries and wineries. The Rule of St. Benedict lays the foundation for a particular way of life, a life that is rooted in the Gospel and grounded in the scriptural virtues of charity, humility, and faithfulness. The Rule (as it is commonly referred to) outlines Christian discipleship, drawing from the Gospels and the stories from Jesus’ ministry during his time on earth. The basic call of the Benedictine life is to answer the call to follow Christ, allow the Holy Spirit to transform you, and to become a living witness to God’s grace in this world.

This might seem similar to the call of each Christian, but the monks, while still living a life in common with the current cultural conditions, use the Rule as the base for which their community lives. The four most common pillars for a life under the Rule are:

1. Discipline
2. Humility
3. Work
4. Spiritual life

I think these can also be applied to our daily lives—whether we choose to become a layperson active in the Benedictine way of life or simply choosing to adopt some of the Benedictine ideals to help us live as better Christians in today’s society.

So what does this have to do with beer? I’ve found in learning how to homebrew that the facets of the Benedictine rule are essential to creating the best batches of beer.

Discipline

Creating and brewing the “perfect” beer takes discipline. From creating the recipe to the brew process to fermentation to carbonation, brewing beer takes time. In our culture, I believe that discipline is waning more each day. We live in a hurry-up-and-get-it society that expects instant gratification. When life doesn’t live up to that, frustration and anger ensue. Brewing beer takes time. And practice. You won’t get it right the first couple of times. But that’s why you keep brewing.

The size of the batches brewed can lead to a lot of beer sitting around. As I discussed in the previous section, it is important to drink moderately, not frequently. For this reason, many of the monastic
breweries brew a separate noncommercial beer that contains a lower ABV rating than those they send to market. The monks recognize their calling to the virtue of temperance, and it is for this reason they drink beers with low alcohol content, even on feast days. So while they create some of the best beers in the world, they don’t indulge in them. When I brew beer, I prefer to keep one for me and give the rest away. I spend time, treasure, and love on each batch and would rather share with my friends than keep it all for me. This helps me to stay disciplined in my homebrewing.

Humility

When I first began to brew, I assumed I would be the best at it from the start. My beers would be perfect and everyone would want me to start a brewery immediately. While some of this was true, the perfect part wasn’t. I struggled to figure out why I was having low attenuation (when the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol) and I wondered what was wrong in my process. I followed all the rules. I refused to tell anyone I was struggling because I was too proud to admit that my beer-tasting expertise was not saving me from frustrations in homebrewing.

When I finally got off my high horse and asked some experienced homebrew friends for some advice, I was able to solve the problems and make better beer. One thing I’ve learned about any hobby, but most especially about homebrew, is to never be afraid to ask for help. You read all these books, taste all these beers, and
watch tons of videos that lead you to think you’re an instant expert.

Even commercial breweries brew bad batches of beer. Approach your homebrewing hobby with a sense of adventure and a sense of humor and you’ll find quick success.

Work

Work. One of those four-letter words. Hard work and manual labor are shunned by some in our society. Homebrewing is hard work, so don’t do it unless you’re willing to work. I am always cleaning something. Or monitoring something. Or cleaning something. Or adding something. Or cleaning something. Seriously,
homebrewing is one part brewing to three parts cleaning. But it’s all so worth it.

I find that when I am feeling anything is tedious, whether it is homebrew-related or not, if I make my work into a prayer as the Rule calls for, it becomes easier. If you pray while working, you reach a different level of spirituality and you understand the fruits of your labor more. I am often reminded as I am working
with grain that instead of this grain becoming bread that could be used in the celebration of the Mass, this grain will yield beer, another fruit of the earth. I think about the Preparation of the Gifts in the Order of the Mass as the priest prays over the gifts:

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.

The yeast and the grain are the work of human hands—and you are using your hands to turn it into something else. Emulate St. Benedict and make work holy.

Spiritual Life

The spiritual life. Perhaps this is where most of us struggle. We live such busy lives, and trying to find a few minutes for God isn’t always a priority. When I brew, whether alone or with friends, I enjoy discussing theology and current events in the Church.

This is the integral life of a beer-brewing monk, so we certainly cannot skip over this important piece of monastic living. While the monks must work to raise the money for maintenance and charity, they wake early to spend time in both silent, individual prayer and in community prayer at Mass or meals.

One of the most common practices is spiritual reading, or lectio divina, during mealtime. Even if you were to visit a Benedictine monastery today, you would likely participate in this ancient tradition. A designated monk reads a selected text while the others eat in silence. They eat and drink by passing their food around
the table so that no one need ask for anything verbally—they communicate silently through signs. The books are selected by the abbot of the monastery and while not necessarily spiritual, they are always an opportunity for learning.

The Rule of St. Benedict provides many opportunities for lay and religious alike to delve deeper into a relationship with God through hard work and prayer. So take a page from their book and use your time homebrewing to improve your relationship with your heavenly Father—while also making some delicious drink.